Indicator mechanism



M. TIBBETTS.

INDICATOR MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 05c. 16. 1914.

1,391,146. PatentedSept. 20,1921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT tor-rice.

HILTON TIBIBETTS, OF DETBOIT, HIGHIGA1 T,-ASSIGNOR TO PACKAJBD MOTOR CAR COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A QORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 16, 1914. -Serial 1 o. 877,539.

T o all'whom it may-concern.

Be it known that I, MILTON Tmnn'rrs, a

citizen of the United States, and resident of in the two compartments so that either of the liquid levels may be observed.

Other objects than the one stated above will appear from the description of the embodiment ofthe invention shown herein, and taken in connection with the drawings, in which the figure represents a tank and indicator embodying the invention.

A motor vehiclegasolene tank 10 is illus-, trated. It is somewhat elongated and is provided adjacent its middle portionwith a partition 11, which may for the purpose of strengthening the tank and preventing undue splashingof the liquid in the tank, ex-

tend from topto bottom of the tank. At a suitable point above the bottom of the tank,

the partition 11 is provided with one or more openings 12 so that when one of the compartments of the tank is filled through the filler opening 13 the liquid will flow readily into the other compartment andfill it also. Thus the partition 11 is efi'ective for separating the liquid in the two compartments only below the openings 12, and the principal function of this partition is to thus divide the tank into separate compartments so that the liquid cannot be entirely with drawn from the tank through a connection to one compartment only. In other words,

a reserve supply is retained in the other com- 1 partment.

- Means are provided for withdrawing the.

liquid from the compartments separately, so that one will always be maintained in reserve. This means comprises a suction pipe 14, a valve 15, and pipes 16 and, 17 leading respectively to the bottoms of the two compartments. Suitable screens 18 are arranged around the suction ends of the pipes 16 and 17- to thus strainthe liquid as it is withdrawn. It will be observed that because of the form-of the passageway 19 in the valve v '15, the pipe 14 may be connected with either of the pipes 16 or 17 but not with both of them at the same time Patented se t zo, 1921. 5

It'will be understood that instead of suc-' tion means being used, the tank may be supplied with pressure and the liquid will flowv out through the pipes 16, 17 and 14 similarly as though by suction.

With the construction so far described, it I will be clearly understood that if the tank is filled wlth liquid and the valve15 is in the position shown in the drawing, the liquid will be withdrawn from the tank as a whole V dow-n to theopenings 12 inthe partition 11. From that level downwardly the liquid will be withdrawn only-from the left hand compartment, and as soon as it is exhausted, the

operator will become aware of that fact by a the stopping of the motor which may be using the fuel from the tank. The valve 15 maythen be switched over so that the passage 19 connects with the pipe 17 and the liquid in the right hand compartment may then bewit'hdrawn. Without changing the fplosition of the valve 15, the tank may be relled and the liquid will then be withdrawn from the tank as a whole down to the point i 12 and from that level downwardly, it will be withdrawn from the right hand compartment. As soon as that is exhausted, the

valve 15 may be shifted over to the pipe 16- and the reserve liquid in the left han (1 compartment may. be used.

From the above, it will be observed that first one compartment and then the other acts as the reserve compartment, and if the ordinary level indicator were used in either jcompartment, it would not indicate the level of the liquid below the opening 12 exceptin the particular compartment in which it was located- The present invention is designed to indicate the level of the liquid in either of said compartments, and preferably the lower level.

The indicator mechanism will now be described. An indicator device is shown as comprising a oaslng 20 secured to the top of thetank 10. This casing incloses a gear wheel 21 upon which is mounted a pointer 22 which is adapted to. indicate through the glass window 23 the level of the liquid in the tank. As shown, this pointer always indicates the lower level where the level is difl'erent at one endof the tank than at the other.

A support 24 is also suitabl .mounted on the tanklO and its upper en extends into the casing 20, thejoint between the casing, the support, and the tank, preferabl being a sealed joint so that the tank may e used under pressure. The support '24 also extends downwardly into the tank adjacent the middle thereof, preferably immediately at one side of the partition 11, and avertical rack bar 25 is mounted in the support and arranged to mesh with the gear wheel tends to hold this rack bar in 21. Gravity I position and thus cause the hand 22 lower to indlcate the full condition of the tank,

but for the purpose of overcoming any friction that may be present to cause the rack bar to stick, a spring 26 is provided to yieldingly hold the rack .bar down. It will be understood that this spring is. very light I so that the floats hereinafter described may readily draw it out.

Floats 27 and 28 are preferably supported.

on" long arms 29 and 30 respectively, and

' these arms are pivotally supported at the, points 31 and 32 respectively upon the lower ends of the support 24. Integral with the arms-29 and 30- are short-arms 33 and 34 respectively, upon which are pins 35 and bar 25 and determines its position and theresequen'tly is at its. lowest point.

with that rack'bar.

by of course determines the position of the indicating hand 22. For instance, as shown in the drawing, the liquid has been practically exhaustedfrom the right hand compartment of the tank and the-float 28 con- Through -its connection with the rack bar 25 thefloat 28 pushes the rack bar to its upper limit and thereby indicates through the hand 22 that the tank is empty. Of course this indicates to the operator that the only remain;

ing liquid in the tank is in the reserve compartment. It will be seen that the float 27 is somewhat higher than the float 28, but it has no effect upon the position of the rack bar 25 because o its pin-and-slot connection served that the arm 30 extends from the right hand compartment throughan open- It will be further ob-- partition 11-.

Various'positions of the'floats 27 and 28 are indicated in dotted lines.

It W111 be understood that if the liquid is to be withdrawn by suction, a proper vent will be provided in the tank, but if pressure is used the tank will be tightly sealed. 1

It will be further understoodthat various forms of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a tank having a plurality of compartments, of a single indicator device, and means controlled by the liquid level in the several compartments and adapted tofoperate the indicator to indicate the level in that compartment having the lowest level.

2., The combination with a tank having a plurality of compartments, of a movable indicator, and means operating inseveral of said compartments and operatively connected to said indicator so that the lowermost float will control the indicator to move in harmony therewith.

3. The combination with a tank having a plurality of compartments, of a movable indicator, and floats in said; compartments operatively' connected to'fsaid indicator -so that the lowermost float will control the indicator to move in harmony therewith.

4; The combination with a tank having a plurality of compartments and. liquid level responsive means 'for each compartment, of means controlled selectively by the responsive means of the compartment having the lowest liquid level-to indicate such level. 1 I

5. The combination with a tank having two compartments and means for withdrawing liquid from either of said compartments separately, of liquid level responsive means for each compartment, and means controlled selectively by the responsive 'means of the compartment having the lowest liquid level to indicate such level. i

6. The combination with a tankjhaving two compartments and means for withdrawing liquid from either of said compartments separately, of a single movable indicator and ,means for operating theindicator to indicate the lower liquid levelof said compartments.

7 An indicator means comprising a movable indicator and a plurality of means for operating said indicator so that the lower- I most float will control the in harmony therewith.

indicator to move 8. Anindicator means comprisinga movable indicator and a plurality of floats connected to operate said indicator so that the lowermost float will control the indicator t move in harmony therewith.

9. An indicator means comprising anindicator device, a plurality of floats, and a in-and-slot type of lost motion connection tween each of said floats and the indicator device.

10. An indicator means comprising an indicator device, a plurality of floats, pivotally supported arms connected to said floats, and pin-and-slot lost motion connections between said arms and said indicator device.

11. An indicator means comprising an illdicator device, a float, and a pin-and-slot lostmotion type of connection between said float and vsaid device.

12. The combination with a tank having a partition separating the liquid below a given level, of an indicator mechanism adapted to indicate the liquid level of the tank as a whole down to said given level and to indicate the level on one side only of said partition beyond that point.

- 13. The combination with a tank having a partition separating the liquid below a given level, of

tank as a whole down to said given level and to indicate the, lower level of the liquid below said given level.

14. The combination with a tank, of a therefor, and means contro led selectively by the responsive devices for indicating the liquid level of the shallower portion of the liquid in the tankwhen the latter is inclmedv I 15. The combination with an elongated tank, of an indicator, a float adjacent each end of the tank, and pin-and-slot connec? tions from said floats to the indicator,

16. The combination with a tank having a partition therein dividing it into two compartments, of an indicator mechanism comprising a sugeport secured to and extendmg above and low the upper wall of the tank, an indicator device mounted at the upper end-of said sup ort, float devices pivotally supported at tiie lower end of said support and extending into the respective compartments, and connections from said float devices to the indicator device whereby the latter is controlled by the float having the lower level.

an indicator mechanism. .adapted to indicate the liquid level of the 17. The combination with a tank having a partitiontherein dividing it into two compartments, of an indicator mechanism com- .risin a 'su ort secured to and extendin C) b above and below the upper wall of the tank, an indicator device mounted at the upper end of said support, float devices pivotally supported at the lower end of said support and extending into the respective com artments, and pin-and-slot connections a ording lost motion from said float devices to the indicator device whereby the latter is controlled by the float haviiig the lower level.

18. The combination with a tank having a partition which is effective for separation of liquid partway upwardly only from the bottom thereof, of an indicator unit mounted 'on the top of the tank independently of said partition and having floats adapted to exof the tank, an indicator on said support,

and float devices connected to said indicator and extending from said support into the respective compartments.

20. The combination with a tank, of an indicator mechanism comprising an indicator device, a plurality of floats and a pinand-slot type of connection between each of said floats and the indicator device, such connection being so formed that the lowermost float will control the movement of the indicator device.

21. The combination with an elongated.

tank, of an indicator, a float adjacent each end of the tank, and lost motion connections from said floats to the indicator.

22. An indicator means comprising an indicator device, a plurality of floats, and a lost motion connection between each of. said floats and the indicator device.

23. An indicator means comprising an indicator device, a float, and a lost motion connection between said float and said device. I

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature m the presence oftwo wltnesses.

MILTON TIBBETTS- Witnesses:

LE R01 J. WILLIAMS, CLAIR J. Corn. 

